Ardennes, Nurburgring, snow....

[earthmover]

With Wapping's routes and recommendations loaded into the Zumo, and a loose plan in our minds, Denise and I set off towards Folkestone at 7.00am on Saturday morning. The weather was cool but bright and we enjoyed an uneventful 270 miles to pitch up at the tunnel with 10 minutes to spare. When our "letter" was called, the attendant said that there was a one hour delay, but if we wanted to go down to the loading area and take a chance, they might have room for us. They did, and we were ushered into the carriage of the 12.05 train we were originally booked on.

Putting our watches forward an hour, and the time taken under La manche, put us at 2.00 when we left the terminal. We followed the D roads past St Omer and into the centre of Aire-Sur-La-Lys. Here seemed a good place for a coffee, and a check on our progress.

The weather was still bright, but with quite strong crosswinds occasionally. Our plan was to head towards Bouillon without actually getting there, as all the hotels I had tried had been fully booked. Hopping onto the A26 rattled off a few miles and brought us to Cambrai, then the N43 to Hirson. Here we decided that it was time to find a hotel, as the sun was starting to get low in the sky, and our stomachs were starting to growl. After a few more miles with no success, I hit the "lodgings" button on the Zumo, and followed it to the nearest available place. This was full, but the next one along at Rocroi had a room, so that was where we stayed. The Hotel Du Commerce had a slightly shabby air to it, but the room was clean and warm, and as we had been on the road for nearly 12 hours and 478 miles now it would suffice. A quick walk around the village centre, in the shape of a pentagon, revealed that there were no other eating places that looked better than the hotel. The main bar had around 10 elderly gentlemen drinking with what appeared to be the chef and his wife, so we weren't too optimistic. A little old lady led us to a table in a dinning room set for around 40 people. We joined another couple, and watched bemused as said little old lady rearranged the settings at each place, as though waiting for the hordes to arrive. The chef left his drinking buddies for a couple of minutes, and the little old lady brought us out a superb meal, with a half decent bottle of red to go with it. Never judge on appearances!
Mark

 

[patzx12]

Great start Gimme more

 

[73octane]

Looking forward to the Ring and snow.

 

[Wapping]

Great stuff....

 

[earthmover]

Sunday morning dawned clear and bright again, enabling us to see more of the fortifications that Rocroi is apparently famous for. For a small place, it has some serious defences which were built to repel the Spanish in the 16th century. We heathens didn't spend much time looking around them though, as we were planning a pilgrimage of a more modern variety.

The Nurburgring.
I have been twice before, and Denise was keen to see in person what all the fuss was about. The website showed Sunday as open to the public all day, but closed for testing on Monday, so our timetable was decided. Looking at the map confirmed the shortest route/smaller roads option on the Zumo to be a less than straight road, so "go" was pressed and off we set. A mixture of widths and surfaces, tight turns and sweepers, small villages and towns passed a very pleasant few hours, with a coffee stop at St Hubert, sat out in the sun.

The route seemed to be making more deviations than seemed really necessary, but we were enjoying ourselves. My petrol light started to flash just before we crossed the border into Germany, so I am pleased to confirm that Maestro cards do work on Belgian forecourts, even changing the instructions to English when I inserted my card. Into Germany, and a missed junction added a few minutes to our journey, but on some sublime roads following a river valley, before rolling up at the Nurburgring car park just past 1.00. After a coffee and a wander round the car park looking at the various exotic, and not so exotic, machinery filling all the spaces, I noticed a by now familiar gleam in Denise's eyes.
"You want to go round, don't you?" I asked, although I already knew the answer.
"Seems rude not too!" she replied, grinning furiously.
Oh shit.
I wandered over to the ticket office to enquire if bikes are allowed with passengers, half hoping that they would say no, but of course they didn't, and they are. I bought a one lap ticket, nearly as worried as I had been on my first visit. At least the place was busy, so there would be more mobile chicanes out there. I briefly explained how the track works to Denise, then probably too gruffly said "Shut up and hang on!" before handing her the ticket and pulling on my Arai. Ignoring the watching eyes I pulled up to the barrier as smoothly as my tense state would allow, selected neutral and sat there trying to look nonchalant. The attendant had a good look at the zumo, then the panniers and the tank bag, then the intercom wires, before smiling at me and raising the barrier. I short-shifted up to 3rd, slowed to let someone on a multilap ticket join the coned chicane in front of us, then wound it on in his wake. After the first few corners the nerves went and I started to relax and enjoy myself, sticking firmly to the "slow in, fast out" rule and keeping well out of the way of faster traffic. Denise let out an exclamation when the first of the seriously quick stuff steamed past, but other than that sounded really happy. I managed to get round the chicane that had been my nemesis on previous visits without incident, and remembered far more than I thought I would. Slowing to rejoin the car park lane at the end, I wondered about getting another ticket, but then thought better of it. Denise was made up, and she bought a souvenir key ring from the official souvenir stand, rather than get a 'Ring sticker for her Peugeot. I suggested we go to the outside of the circuit and watch from there for a while, where you can see the diversity and get the full aural experience of what has to be the best petrol-head Mecca in Europe.

As the time was pressing on, we left the 'Ring for one of my favourite stretches of road, the B258 towards Aachen. I had stayed at a hotel there a couple of times with the lads, so we headed there for the night. From Monshau the road becomes straight and boring for a few miles, and sadly the Relais Konigsberg was closed. We quickly back tracked into Roetgen to a Spa Hotel we had seen on the way. The weather had turned to drizzle in the last half hour, and getting wet now wasn't high on the priorities. Showered and changed we sat and ate another splendid meal while reminiscing on the days ride. Only 243 miles today, but some of the best riding of the trip.
Mark

 

[earthmover]

It was raining persistently when I looked out of the window on Monday morning. Ho hum. Eating breakfast overlooking the pool, we worked out how to get to Givet, and the start of one of Wapping's scenic routes to Bouillon. Having a smoke after loading the bike, the rain stopped, someone must like us! The chosen route out of Germany and into Belgium turned out to be a single track road joining numerous farms, complete with agricultural quantities of sloppy wet shite to ride through. We had skirted round the Northern limits of the Parc Naturel des Hautes Fagnes to come out at Eupen, just before Verviers. The route then cut virtually straight to Givet again on an interesting mix of minor roads. The rain held off, but the tarmac was wet and we took it easy, pulling into a cafe at the side of the river at 11.30.

A quick coffee break and we set off on a bit of a magical mystery tour, simply following Richard's white arrow on the screen. The route started quite open and swift, but soon worked into some serpentine twists and turns as the roads followed the contours cut through the hills by the rivers. Stunning autumnal colours opened up as we crested the hills, and photo opportunities abounded.

As we religiously followed the track, I spotted that we were due to double back on ourselves from the outskirts of Charleville- Mezieres. I'm guessing that the supermarket was a fuel stop?

As the roads were drying, I was pushing a little harder until the dry line I aimed for on one right hander manifested itself as a strip of mud. The front must have only stepped out a couple of inches, but it was enough to put manners on me for the rest of the day. After certainly the most scenic day, I made good my promise to find a hotel in daylight and stopped outside the Hotel de la Poste in Bouillon at 4.30 and 170 miles. Locking the bike in the underground car park, Denise and I had a walk round for an hour and explored the castle with it's views of the surrounding forests.

Such exertion in the fresh air got our appetites up for a sumptuous meal in the hotel restaurant, dining on local specialities of the Ardennes. This, and the red wine that went with it, left us both with a great sense of well being, but tinged with the knowledge that tomorrow we head for home.

 

[Timolgra]

I briefly explained how the track works to Denise, then probably too gruffly said "Shut up and hang on!"

Good lad

 

[Tractorpilot]

Nurburgring - one day!
TP

 

[Wapping]

A quick coffee break and we set off on a bit of a magical mystery tour, simply following Richard's white arrow on the screen. The route started quite open and swift, but soon worked into some serpentine twists and turns as the roads followed the contours cut through the hills by the rivers. Stunning autumnal colours opened up as we crested the hills, and photo opportunities abounded.

Glad it all worked out

Nice holiday snaps, too.

Re. the double back loop. I can't remember, to be honest. The route / routes I sent you was / were made from several tracks, so it's quite possible there was a wrong turn in it, somewhere along the line.

I will see if I can find and edit it out.

Could you drop me a PM with the details, if you have a moment, along with any other glitches.

Cheers,

Richard

===

Edit, Don't worry, I can see where it is.

I can only guess that we went into the town and back out, for some reason or another.

I would though be interested in any other bits and bobs where the routes need tidying.

 

[Arsey]

Nice report.

Glad the missus enjoyed playing with the Ring.

Must go back myself soon-nothing like it !!

 

[earthmover]

Glad the missus enjoyed playing with the Ring.

Must resist, must resist.......




(for Tim )
Mark

 

[earthmover]

Tuesday morning was a bit dull and dreary. The clouds were low over the tops of the hills and it was quite cool. As we loaded the bike after breakfast, Denise announced that the sun was going to come out and it would be another beautiful day. A lap of Bouillon was needed to, ahem, co-ordinate the GPS before we set off on the right track. I had reversed Wapping's "UKGSer route to Bouillon" that morning and we followed some lovely roads North initially, before joining the E411 near Rochefort then heading West on the E42. The sun had come out, as Denise predicted, but it was noticeably colder. We stopped in the impressive main square of Tournai for lunch, and checked our mobiles. Denise had a message saying that it was snowing at home, so I rang Oli who confirmed that yes, Cheshire was white at that point. We were sat in the window of a cafe, in glorious sunshine, tucking into the plat du jour (spag bol) while England got its first snow of the year. "No problem!" says I, optimistically. "It will only be sleet anyway."

The thought of it made Denise colder, so she put another layer on before we left. Our train time was 5.30, but we opted to flog the last bit by motorway in an attempt to catch an earlier one. My Zumo was set to shortest route though, not quickest, so we ended up riding through the cobbled streets of Cassel on a scenic detour. Whether this would have made any difference, I don't know, as we rolled into the terminal just after 4.00, and the automated check in showed the next train to be ours. A couple on a 650 Dakar came in behind us, so if you are reading this Sam, Hi there! They also told of messages warning of bad weather.
As would appear to be the norm, the bikes were loaded last onto the double deck carriage. We were joined by an Australian couple who had bought a pair of bikes in England, ridden them around Europe for 9 weeks, and were now on their way home. The conversation meant that the time flew by, and before we knew it we were riding back onto English soil once more.
I reset the Zumo to quickest route, and it replied with the M25 North and the Dartford tunnel. I wasn't so sure, but we had turned back the clocks and it was only 5.30, so away we went. Traffic on the M25 was as expected at that time on a weekday, shite. Slogging onwards, ipod on, with only a brief stop at Lakeside service to fill up, have a coffee and a smoke at around 6.30. Back on the motorway, near to Potters Bar at about 7.30, the snow started. Only this wasn't little flakes, these were big wet flakes. In a couple of minutes we were down to 20mph, I had to wipe my visor almost continually, and I could still see the best part of feck all. My left glove was now soaked, the pinlock had given up the fight and with a passenger on the back, this had ceased to be fun. I turned up the next sliproad and we sought sanctuary at a fortuitously situated McDonalds. Watching as an inch of snow settled on the bike during my coffee, I pressed "lodgings" again to find there was a hotel 0.3 miles away. A quick call to check availability, and we switched to plan B. Sod it for tonight.

It wasn't the easies 0.3 miles I've ever ridden, but the Colney Fox Innkeepers Lodge was very welcoming! We tucked the bike under a smokers shelter, got changed, and ate yet another marvellous meal. Sat in a window seat, by a radiator, we were able to watch as the snow continued to fall. Right up to 9.30, when the power went off! When it became obvious that the power wasn't going to come back on, we took the rest of the wine up to bed with us. 348 miles today.

Wednesday morning was sunny and bright, enhanced by the snow still on the ground. The power was still off, so I called the office to get a traffic and weather report. The staff had rustled up a continental breakfast, and made tea on a camping gas ring. By 9.30 the "Ice warning" had gone off the traffic pages, so we loaded up and gingerly made our way back to the motorway. The traffic was heavy through the road works as we joined the M1, then further up there had been an accident. By 12.00 we had only managed 70 miles as I pulled in to fill up. It was a lot colder now, and though I was alright, Denise was really starting to feel it. I asked if we should keep stopping, but she replied that we should press on and she would let me know if it became too much. With that in mind it was head down and get home. We turned into my drive at 2.00, and I bundled her through the door and into the kitchen to thaw out. We were only 14 hours late. Later on she did tell me that it had all been worth it. I was very pleased, as I thought the last leg might have spoiled it for her.
As she went off to see the patients that she had booked in for the late afternoon, I decided to give the bike a treat and wash the salt off.
Many thanks to Wapping, for sending me the GPS routes which I based the trip around. I owe you a beer.
Mark

 

[Flipfly]

Nice report fella, looks like you had fun

 

[Wapping]

Nice report and certainly a bit of near enough everything, weatherwise.

It just goes to show that, not far across the water, there's a good time to be had.....particularly if you live in the SE corner of England.

 

[Aidan1150]

A lovely autumn trip, well apart from the snow that is. Thanks for posting.

 

[ebbo]

That was great reading, what an ending too, well done!

 

[patzx12]

Hi Now check out the webcam. I think you have 2 weeks.
http://www.8200rpm.com/webcam/

 

[earthmover]

Hows that work then? I can find thumbnails for each particular minute, how do you get them to play?
Mark

 

[Rushy]

Nice report Mark.........some good riding, writing and piccies there.

Took Lou to the Nurburg' , went with a couple of other lads on here and she loved it too. Got there midweek about 90 mins before it closed . Did 2 laps with her hanging off the back taking shots and then one final lap on my own . Brilliant


The ladies get my admiration for hanging on at the rear. Lets face it , how many of us would want to do some of the trips we do as pillion rather than rider

Some nasty weather there on the way back , glad it hasn't put Denise off .

 

[patzx12]

Hows that work then? I can find thumbnails for each particular minute, how do you get them to play?
Mark

Hi Mark,
Try this: http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/webcams.html